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5-way Tactile Switch

Description: Sometimes you want a small input and a single button just won’t cut it. A 5-way tactile switch allows for a joystick-like interface in a very small package. These are surface mount, but easily soldered.

You could probably make a nub thing out of polymorph. I presume you want a flattish disc with a mm or two space under it. You need a shape which prevents high side loads. If you want rubber sugru could be the shot. Oogoo might work but the stuff I’ve made is much softer than sugru.
BTW I’ve found laundry starch works fine to make oogoo. If you don’t know what I’m taking about google it.

I brought one of these and found that the force needed to ‘click’ it was more than my purpose (tongue control)
However when I dismantled the unit I found it had 2 metal contact inserts rather than one.
Not sure if this was a ‘feature’ bu removing one get it a much softer range and perfect for my needs.

Also being a 5 way switch makes it very easy to convert to a resistive network for an analogue input

Hey, if anyone is looking for a joystick that works for this switch I actually found a really good but bizarre fix:Tiger Pops.

Tiger Pop suckers have hollow plastic sticks that fit perfectly over the nub. I stuck the Tiger Pop stick onto it and molded some Sugru around the stick for a more aesthetic joystick appearance. So far so good. It shouldn’t be much longer than an inch or the torque will make the joystick pop off.

Probably not - they’re all about the same size (~1cm each side). The idea is that the controls you design around it (plastic, magnesium alloy, etc.) are actually what give it the desired size. Any particular reason you’d want a bigger one?

I made an Eagle part for this. You can download it here:
http://files.badlysprained.net/sneakypoo.lbr
There’s a couple of other parts in the library, just ignore them, didn’t feel like creating a separate file just for this one part. I’ve verified that the footprint works as I’ve just finished soldering a board using it.

I have to say I’m disappointed in the quality of the switch though. The first few times I used the switch it clicked nicely but very very quickly it lost its “clickyness” and it doesn’t give you any confidence that it’s doing what it’s supposed to. I dunno, maybe I got a bad batch.

For those interested I designed my own breakout board that works really well. The schematics and a example code for netduino can be found http://dev.bitbounce.ca/FogBugz/kiln/Repo/Netduino-Samples/Group/TactileButtonSample/Files

So I know this an Extremely simple question, but I am brand new to everything on this site. I cannot find anything on the net explaining how I use these. I am learning from an Arduino, I know how to use switches, potentiometers, rgb digital led strip C++ maniac. And I cannot figure out how to use these. Any help would be great.

it just acts like a bunch of switches in one package. check the datasheet and look at the circuit diagram. pin 5 is your common pin, and all the others would be the other ‘switches’.
each switch would connect to the arduino just like a single switch, but they share a common pin.

Hmm. I like the dimensions, but I notice the action is rotated 45 degrees from the case… I actually just launched Eagle to make sure it was easy to place a 45 degree footprint, which it is. Huh, never had to do THAT before, but it’s easy.

Humm.. I tried to layout a part in Eagle after downloading the datasheet but after print-checkig it, turns out to large… I went back to check some of the dim’s (like the spacing between the mount holes), and all seems ok. Not sure what I seem to be missing… I was wondering if anyone allready has the part made for Eagle..? It would save some time…
Thanks in advance..!!

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